


Not Here

by iamfitzwilliamdarcy



Series: Next to Normal [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Mental Health Issues, N2N AU, Next to Normal - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 15:07:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2114499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamfitzwilliamdarcy/pseuds/iamfitzwilliamdarcy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason's dead, but he's not gone</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Here

“You’re taking those things again?” Jason raised his eyebrows, arms folded across his chest.

Bruce shrugged, staring at the pile of pills in his hand. “It makes Dick happy,” he said.

“And you’re scared of Alfred,” Jason added with a laugh. He uncrossed his arms and made his way over to Bruce. Jason stopped to stand right beside him, and Bruce wondered for a moment when his son had gotten taller than him, broader. “You know, neither of them half to know if you don’t take them.”

It was Bruce’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “You think that’s a good idea?”

Jason shrugged. “Sure I do. You’re always in good shape and patrol better when you’re not on that crap. You know it, I know it, Dick and Alfred know it. Come on, let me trash ‘em. Then it’s not even really your fault that you didn’t take them.”

“You think it’s a good idea?” Bruce asked.

“You’re fucking Batman,” Jason said. “You don’t need any medication.” His voice lowered, turning serious. “But really, I do. I think it’s y’know brave and shit. You’re not you when you’re on these things.”

“Batman, the brave and the bold,” Bruce said, turning his hand so the pills scattered back onto the dresser.

“That’s the spirit,” Jason said cheerfully, sweeping the pills back into one of the bottles that littered Bruce’s dresser. He gathered them up and disappeared into the bathroom. “And go get breakfast or Golden Boy’s gonna think I’m a bad influence.”

Bruce heard the flush of the toilet and, with a small shake of his head, smiled fondly. That kid was something else.

*************

“You can’t sidelineme,” Bruce growled. “I’m  _Batman_.”

“I’m not  _sidelining_ you,” Dick said, running a hand through his hair. He didn’t move from blocking Bruce’s way down to the cave, though. “I’m just saying that maybe you should wait a few more days. The medicine’s working, B, and it may not be the best idea to go out so soon after starting this new round.”

Bruce drew himself up to full height, crossing his arms with a glare. He may have been crazy, but he still knew how to be intimidating.

Except that Dick had been dealing with Bruce Wayne far longer than any criminal on the street. He tilted his head, unimpressed, then sighed and softened. “Tim’s coming home tonight,” he said instead. “He has one of the Red Eye flights, you know? Don’t you want to be here when he gets back?”

“Tim?” Bruce repeated, frowning as he tried to remember where Tim had gone.

“Yeah,” Dick said, eyes narrowing in concern. “He went to San Francisco, remember? For that mission with the Titans.”

 “Right,” Bruce said, but Dick knew he didn’t remember.

“Come on,” Dick said, ushering him away from the Cave and back towards his study. “There was some WE papers that you could look over. Maybe even check out a few cold cases for GCPD?”

“You don’t have to patronize me,” Bruce snapped, jerking his arm out from under Dick’s guiding hand. “I’m not a child.”

“I didn’t say you were,” Dick said, holding his hands up. His voice was infuriatingly gentle, and Bruce couldn’t deal with that anymore. He shoved past Dick, back down to the cave. Dick didn’t follow.

“You sure take a lot his shit.” Jason was leaning against the computer console, smirking at Bruce.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Bruce asked, taking in how Jason was dressed, the red suit and black cowl.

“Out. I haven’t been banned from patrolling by my own son.”

“You better not  _have_ a son,” Bruce threatened.

Jason laughed. “Calm down, old man. I’ll be back later.”

*************

He lied, of course. It was well past three, and Jason still wasn’t home. Bruce sat at the main computer, half-heartedly sifting through cold cases Dick had left for him. Dick had changed some of the security settings, so there was a current case he didn’t want Bruce getting at. He could have figured it out, he thought, hacked through Dick’s settings, but he couldn’t quite work up the energy to do it.

If Jason would just come home, they could both go to bed. Jason was an inconsiderate little shit, and Bruce was worried. Dick hadn’t gone out on patrol, either. He was just considering putting on his cowl himself and heading out when he heard footsteps pattering down the steps.

They were too heavy for Dick, too quick for Alfred, and Jason would have come in through the Cave. He paused, staring up at the staircase. A moment later, Tim emerged. He wore an oversized red hoodie and faded jeans with a rip on one of the knees.

“Oh!” he said, stopping, startled, halfway down the stairs. “Bruce. I didn’t know you were up.”

He climbed down the rest of the stairs and came to a stop next to Bruce. He was pale, dark circles under his eyes, and looking far too thin, though Bruce wasn’t sure if that was just because of the too-big clothes.

“What are you doing up?” he asked.

Tim shrugged. “Jet-lagged, I guess,” he said. “And I wanted to do some reports. I got all my make-up school work and even looked at some WE stuff for you. But I haven’t really had much time to do any you know mission cataloguing so I thought I’d get to that now.”

“When did you get back?” Bruce asked.

“’Bout an hour ago,” Tim said. “Took a cab here. I’ve been unpacking.”

 “You should slow down, take a day off school tomorrow,” Bruce suggested, a much nicer course, he thought, than pointing out how haggard Tim looked.

“No time,” Tim said. “I’m fine, really. I just have—,”

“Go to sleep, Tim,” Bruce said, voice firm. He hadn’t managed firm in a long time, so Tim sighed, and head back upstairs.

Jason came back a bit after Tim disappeared up the staircase.

“You said you wouldn’t stay out late,” Bruce said as Jason clomped about the cave, taking off his cowl.

“You worry too much,” Jason said. “I’m almost 20; I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Doesn’t mean something can’t happen out there,” Bruce shot back. “I don’t like you going out without back-up.”

“Then you come next time,” Jason said. “Because Dick won’t patrol with me anymore and the Replacement is useless.”

“Don’t call him that,” Bruce said, ignoring the inexplicable sinking feeling he got every time Jason tossed around words like replacement. “And—,”

“Bruce?” Dick’s voice came from the top of the stairs, cutting Bruce off. Jason swore and dove into the locker room to change and avoid his brother.

Dick came down the stairs looking concerned. “Who are you talking to?” he asked.

“Just myself,” Bruce lied easily. Dick and Jason didn’t always get along, and sometimes it was best to just let them be. He gestured towards the computer. “Working through some cases.”

“Oh,” Dick said. “Okay. Well, Alfred’s up and starting breakfast, so maybe you should come too?  It’d be nice for you to see Tim before he goes to school today. And you have that appointment with—,”

“Right,” Bruce interrupted, trying not to scowl. He got up and followed Dick upstairs, where Alfred patted his shoulder before piling his plate with food and Tim sipped coffee, looking as if he hadn’t slept at all since Bruce saw him last. He probably hadn’t, Bruce thought, opting instead to stay up and work.

Alfred served the food, and Dick picked up his fork to dig in, but Bruce stopped him. “We should wait for your brother.”

Dick froze, then said softly, with that unbearingly gentle tone, “Tim’s right here, Bruce.”

Bruce knew that. Tim had lowered his coffee mug to stare at him with tired eyes. Even Alfred had stopped. “I know,” he said slowly, confused. Something was wrong. They were all staring at him, like he was being purposefully stupid, like he was missing out, and something was  _wrong_. “I was talking about—,”

“He’s not here,” Tim snapped. He slammed the mug onto the table and coffee sloshed over onto his hands.

Bruce stood so quickly the chair toppled behind him and took a few steps away from the table. “What’s wrong?” he demanded, voice shifting into his Batman growl to cover his fear. “What’s going on?”

Dick stood too, and walks slowly over to Bruce, hands held up, voice still soft and gentle, like he was talking to a spooked horse. “He’s not here, Bruce. I know you know he’s not here.”

There’s a clatter from the table, and Dick turned only slightly to see Tim storming off. He met Alfred’s gaze, and Alfred nodded. He took a tray with a teapot and mug and went after Tim.

“I don’t understand,” Dick said. “The medicine was working.” Dick asked when it’s just the two of them again.

Bruce sighed, the fight fading out of him. “Not really. And I stopped taking it,” he admitted.

“We’ll go back, then,” Dick said. “I’ll call the doctor, we can get you new—,”

“No.” Bruce said, low and deadly. Dick’s mouth clamped shut, like he was twelve and mouthy and Robin again and Batman wanted him quiet. “I’m done with medication. It doesn’t work. I don’t want it.”

“But…listen, Bruce, I know you’re—,”

“You don’t know anything.”

“So  _tell_ me,” Dick said. “If you would just  _talk,_  to me, to Alfred, to Tim. To  _anyone_. But you won’t.” He sighed and softened his voice. “Look, we’ll find a new doctor, okay? No medication. But, and Alfred will agree with me on this, you can’t just stop going. Okay?”

Bruce gave him a barely perceptible nod before spinning on his heel and leaving. Dick stood there for a minute, alone in the kitchen. He brought up a hand and rubbed his face.

“God fucking damn you, Jason.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I feel the need to constantly remind everyone that I've never actually read any comics. All characters have been adapted as I see fit from their various versions I've seen on TV and in movies (and in the few comic panels I've seen posted outside of their greater context)


End file.
